Ask Me Again
by Jimmy the Gothic Egg
Summary: Raven has a question for Starfire. The universe is very confused.


The closest thing I will ever write to RavenRobin, and he's not even in the story. Go me.

**Set after The End.**

Slightly based off a conversation I think they had in the comic books.

_Ask Me Again_

There was an order to the Tower, and an agreement between Starfire and Raven. It was more or less that Starfire asked her random, slightly insipid questions, and Raven answered. Usually, it would require oh-so much time of silence from the alien, and ever since they switched bodies, their agreement wasn't a problem.

This order of things had finally bent and twisted itself into something it didn't even recognize as Raven knocked on Starfire's door. She could feel the fabric of the universe fray a little bit as she peeked her head in, and she remembered why she was there.

"Starfire?" she called carefully, gazing past all the pink. The pile of clothes sticking out of the closet shuffled a bit, and Starfire stuck her head out, smiling brightly.

"Hello, friend Raven!" she greeted her cheerfully, stepping away.

"Um, what are you doing?" Usually the alien's room was not a mess, as she had a specific order to things, at least within the confines of her bedroom.

"We are going into town later," she said, almost sheepishly, and Raven felt a sting of something. Something she wasn't quite used to, mostly because she knew who the 'we' was. "I was looking for something… different."

Raven shook her head, stepping forward cautiously. "Erm, right."

"Is there something you need?" she asked, floating over to her bed.

"I was just…" If it had been three weeks ago, something would've exploded. "I—I have something to, er, ask you."

It was awkward for both, because Starfire rarely got asked things. She was, after all, the naïve alien who knew very little of what went on around her. That was why she came to Raven. Raven, however, was coming to her. She tried to hide her surprise.

"Of course!" she said, her enthusiasm growing to an extreme level, which would be an obvious sign of her uneasiness, if Raven hadn't been experience some of her own. "What can I answer for you?"

Raven coughed into her hand, clearing her throat. Oh _gods_ this was awkward. She should just turn around now and say it was nothing, or make up something. Why did she have to ask _this_? "I was—I was wondering something on the subject of—of—" She couldn't say it. She kind of gagged a bit on the word before it tumbled out, landing with a heavy thud. "—of romance."

Starfire lost a bit of her nervousness, her smile returning to its genuine state. Of course! Her dear friend had not played with these emotions before. She was obviously dealing with something she was not quite ready to admit to, so she'd come to Starfire, who expressed herself more openly. And that was why she was so anxious about this, because Raven was easily embarrassed by her emotions. Even after the defeat of Trigon, she had let her normal passiveness out, the usual smile leaking through. Also, the Tower faced less damage, because Beast Boy's pestering had not caused her to explode the TV for the fifteenth time in a row.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire was excited. She swept her friend up, hugging her more tightly than Raven had been prepared for. "You are in love! Who is it! I must know!"

Raven wormed her way out of her grip, sliding onto Starfire's bed before clearing her throat again. This was not going to go well, she could tell. "Erm, it's not quite _that_. I was just thinking—I'm not used to this feeling, but uh—I mean I'm not even sure what it is and—"

"Raven," Starfire's voice had lost a bit of patience, and she quieted, frowning at her blush. The universe turned itself upside down to figure out what was wrong. "Tell me who."

Raven chewed on her lip. "I—It's not—I'm not sure—" Oh why couldn't she just spit the words out? Since when did she have a problem speaking what's on her mind?

Starfire sighed, sitting down next to her friend. "Is it one of our teammates?"

"Uh… yes." She glanced at the alien quickly before looking back down at her hands.

"Oh friend! I knew it!"

Raven looked up quickly. "What?"

"Of course I had my suspicions, but I never knew what you really thought. He had made it quite obvious, but I did believe you were oblivious." Starfire smiled warmly, wrapping and arm around her friend's shoulder. "I am so happy you have finally realized your feelings for him! I am most excited!"

Raven shrugged off the arm, leaning away from Starfire. "I—What?"

The alien's smile faltered. "It is _Beast Boy_, isn't it?"

"What! I—No!" She stood up quickly. "Wait! Beast Boy has—When did this happen!"

Starfire "eeped" and covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I only assumed…" Beast Boy was going to kill her. She quickly tried to cover this up. "I mean, I had assumed Beast Boy felt this way! I must be wrong of course!" She laughed nervously. Raven glared.

"No, it's not." She tugged at her cape. She almost wished it was.

"My apologies," she said nervously. "If it is not friend Beast Boy, then you must mean Cyborg!" Well, she'd had some suspicions there as well, but Cyborg seemed more like a big brother to her. Starfire grinned nervously, because if it _wasn't_ Cyborg that would mean…

Raven stood back, tearing some skin of her lip. "Um, not… quite." She glanced to see Starfire's reaction, then turned to the ceiling. "And I never said it was love!" she added quickly. "It's just this odd… feeling."

Starfire slowly paled, her whole body going stiff. There was one more chance, a long shot, but she could try. "It—Certainly not… Me?" The tone was a hopeful squeak. Raven went red.

"No! I'm not… I mean… I'm…" Oh this was embarrassing.

"That would mean it is friend Robin?"

Raven pulled her hood up, closing her eyes. "…Yes."

To both of the girls' surprise, Starfire calmly stood up, her smile never leaving. Inside she was calculating, because no matter how innocent the alien acted, she was a warrior, and love, she'd heard many times, was a battlefield. She just need a strategy.

"When did this feeling begin?" she asked amiably. Raven didn't know whether to be afraid, grateful, or confused.

"When, uh, the whole Trigon ordeal began." It was still a touchy subject, but so was this.

Starfire thought a moment. "What does it feel like?"

Raven was growing redder beneath her hood, and the alien was frightening her far more than anything else she'd ever faced. "Like—I don't know. I—I don't know how to explain."

Starfire had to make sure, because she knew how _she _felt about Robin, but Raven had always been confused over her emotion. "Is it warm?"

Raven shrugged.

"Do you feel like you can turn to him for anything?"

A short, hesitant nod.

"Do you enjoy being near him?"

"Not… all the time."

"Do you wish to be by his side no matter what happens?"

Well, she felt that about all her friends. They were the only ones who'd really accepted her.

"Do you—Do you feel jealousy?"

Raven glanced at her friend. She nodded.

Starfire thought for a moment.

A second.

A minute.

Raven coughed.

"I do not believe this is love," Starfire said with a convincing smile. Raven let out a breath, realizing there would be no explosion. "He was there for you during your tough time. You find you owe him allegiance. He is a friend to you."

"Oh." She guessed that made sense. "Um, okay. Thanks…" She paused before leaving. "Uh, Starfire? Can this conversation never, _ever_ leave this room?"

Starfire nodded gratefully. "Of course, friend Raven."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks." She meant it that time.

The door closed, and Starfire let out her own breath. That had been close. She turned back to her wardrobe and searched for an outfit. She and Robin had a date that night!

---

Beast Boy noticed Raven coming out of Starfire's room.

"What's up?" he greeted. "Did Star need help for tonight?"

Raven stared at him a moment before shaking her head and walking away. Beast Boy blinked a few times before staring at Star's door and frowning.

He'd kill her after the date.

**Notes:**

Raven gets with everyone except Robin, because Starfire convinces her that she's not in love with him.

It was hard writing Raven. I hope she came out okay.

I only got to see the end of Trouble in Tokyo, but uh…

**OMFG! ROBINSTARFIRE KISSES! SNOGGING IN TOKYO, OH YEAH!**

I'm done. Um, I hope I didn't ruin anything for those who haven't seen it, but I just saw the end.

I'm gonna go wait for it to play. That's in like an hour right?


End file.
